I saw one on a 3/4 ton this weekend and was wondering if it would be a bad idea to manufacture one for my '90. its already pretty sluggish with the 300-6cyl in it, but I'm not going to be racing it. I can't spend too much on it either, so aluminum is out. Is this a bad idea?

 

I can imagine that a basic wood/steel flatbed wouldn't be too much heavier than a regular pickup bed and tailgate.
Some stake pockets and a decent headache rack would make for a useful flatbed.
Lots of them around here on 1/2 tons.

 

+1

Here in the bigsky I see them frequently on craigslist (1/2 tons with flatbeds). I don't think it would be a prob at all.

 

Midnite has a good looking flat deck, he should see this and post his thoughts.
Looks great on his.

 

That's what is going on my 95 4x4 4.9L if I ever get done with my other projects. Scout around on Craigslist and any other local shopper for used flat beds. I put a wanted ad on Craigslist and it was answered in less than a week. Bought my steel/wood bed for $200.



And yes, Midnite does have a nice flatbed rig!
Midnite's build thread

 

i have the flatbed on my f150, there are pros and cons for the deck v.s. box.
unless you put sides on the deck and a end cant really just toss groceries back there lol
have to strap stuff down. but for me it serves the purpose to haul my rzr around.

 

Ahem, there's a huge spider hanging from your rear view mirror ...

 

Lol nice catch.
I had one in my mustang too but it went with the car. Took 6 months to find another one for the truck

 

I still find it funny that your bed is made of the same channel as mine. Gives me real insight as to what mine will look like WHENEVER I get the time for it.

 

Full steel flatbeds are much heavier then sheetmetal factory beds. Heck, me and a buddy can lift a fullsize short bed with zero problems. No way I would attempt that with a 6' flatbed

 

That's true. Both of ours are steel frame/wood floors. Mine is 8' and I'll be cutting it down to 6 +/-. Midnite's looks to be about 8' judging by the photos. I'm looking to have to put F250 rear springs under mine.

I saw a Ranger locally with a steel framed flatbed with aluminum decking instead of wood. Very nice!

 

Definitely something different, a flat bed on a 1/2 or 3/4 pickup. I custom built one for my F250, rectangle tube and rough cut red oak flooring with dove tail and folding ramp. That's the reason I did it, to be different. It hauls my mower and equipment around during the summer months, well worth the investment. I'll have to post a pic as soon as I figure out how.

 

Mine is settl/wood. 8'. It is heavier then the 6' box.

I pulled it from a truck at the junk yard myself. Just got a hand from 2 small Asian guys on the other sideto lift it off so I could drag it down the row to the cart.

 

Personally I woulnd not put anything, other than a Aluminum flat bed on a 1/2 ton. Steel and wood is just plain HEAVY.

This 9x8.5 bed I made on My F550 weighed in at a lil over 1,000lbs. YES I realize a 6.5x8' bed would be lighter, to the tune of about 700lbs. A pickup bed weighs in the neighbor hood of about 250-300lbs

 

Personally, it's just an itch I've had for a long time since my old '53 F250 I had back in the early 80's. Mine will end up being about 6' long and it is 6' wide. it's a toy, something to be "different". If I want to really haul anything substantial I have a pair of trailers for that, a 6'x8' landscape trailer and a 18' tilt-deck car trailer w/8k lb Warn winch, oh and a tow dolly. That aluminum decking I'm considering should lighten it up a bit though. And if I don't like it I can always put the bed back on it.